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Disability Benefits: The Numbers Tell the Story

Social Security provides an economic lifeline to America’s workers through our benefit programs. We run the largest disability program in the nation. We want to make sure that everyone has a clear picture of the disability insurance program and of the people living with severe disabilities, who receive its benefits.

Because the Social Security Act sets out a strict definition of disability, our beneficiaries are among the most severely disabled people in the country. We provide modest benefit payments to workers who contributed into the Social Security trust fund before becoming disabled. The average disability beneficiary today paid into the disability trust fund for 22 years before becoming entitled to Social Security disability benefits.

When disability happens, Social Security provides support for insured workers and their families. For many disabled Americans, this earned benefit is the only thing standing between them and poverty.

To create awareness about the positive economic impact of our disability program, Social Security is releasing two new online data resources — our new state disability fact sheets and our national disability issue paper. These two online resources show how Social Security continues to fulfill our intergenerational promise of support to America’s workers and their families.

The state disability fact sheets include information by state and congressional district about disabled workers, children of insured workers, and spouses of insured workers who are receiving disability benefits. They also show the average annual disability benefit in relation to the poverty threshold, as well as more specific data about the recipients in those areas.

The national disability issue paper describes the fundamental principles of our disability program, its economic impact, and how it continues to live up to its founding ideals.

We invite you to go to our website and try these useful new resources.

226 thoughts on “Disability Benefits: The Numbers Tell the Story”

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THANK YOU THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE OUR DISABLED POPULATION AT A TIME TIME WHEN THEY BECOME MOST IN NEED. WE LOOK FORWARD IN PASSING THIS INFORMATION ON TO OUR CLIENTS AS WE LEARN OF THEIR NEED OF THESE SERVIVCES.

Do you know how many times I have filed for with FTC, You, State Senator, Police Dept. I had 23 spines surgeries , a person yes enjoyed themselves on my SSI benefits and no one cared , each month I got paid on 3rd my money was gone . What little I reieve I see others who never worked a day in their make 4 times what I do yet I will never be to work again do to man who stole a car , illegal no drivers Lic , I have had surgery after surgery to repair the damage. And identify theft and Internet Fraud that destroyed my credit , QVC is one they know it , it’s on file my bank Navy Federal Credit Union said I had to claim it at a certain time I’m fighting to try to walk and save a leg from amputation I receive this kinda of help . Where’s justice any more I lost money , and credit , I don’t ask for state help . Now I’m fighting again a payday loan I did not do , our old computer was locked up by Norton said we had 57,000 viruses funny we have McFee threw Cox so I get on cell phone my son got me cox dials in The Lady was From Turkey all the sudden gone , it didn’t end there Spotloan who ever they are gave us a loan we didn’t apply for so what’s your advice they already took a huge chunk the minute our SSI hit Bank

I even have a neighbor who filed false papers on me . She’s a nanny taking care of her mother now . Who was removed from home for abuse and a drunk, using A Homeowers Landscape Email putting me on rant pages . Check her out with Police Dept. she came back because she was kicked out on streets by her father she’s 50 can’t hold a job I took care her mother 6 years painted inside of her house, she has my medical equip. 1,0000.00 rug . I took took Dr Appts when going blind, stores, everything, this woman comes home to say I’m going to paid to take care of her I’m just here hoping she dies soonThat’s evil she posted on Craigslist , sittercity.com care.com check police reports , also she spends her time in front of a slot machine and if mom don’t give her money she don’t take her church or get food . But she makes sure she has booze

Dear Novasandart I know how you feel. I am disabled and unable to work. Hearing that my benefits were going down then hearing about our presidents promise seemed senseless. Unfortunately, that is how America chooses to crumble the cookie. You and I are gonna lose even more when 100,000 migrants are here by 2017 like our president promised. America cannot even take care of its disabled or help the back logged veterans but yet our president chooses to promise to take care of 100,000 migrants who will qualify for social security through the Amnesty Act.

You are receiving benefits so why are you bad mouthing the system that is in place to help you and millions like you. Your numbers are way off on the number of immigrants. Anyway it will not affect your benefits if we took in a million poeple. As for blaming President Obama for your problems all I can say to that is stop watching fox news.

This is a common mantra of the regressive left, that the resources are endless, and we need to stick it to the wealthy (who are already leaving the country in the highest numbers ever)
We cannot burden the taxpayers with uneducated foreigners that have nothing to offer, but more burden.
The money pit is not bottomless. The government does not have money. The people are the source of funds. When the payers are gone, the money is gone. Venezuela is learning that now.

You are so mis- informed, or you are & always have been sliver spoon fed. For those of us who have worked hard & paid in, all our 40+ years of work, is based on a wage that was 40 yrs. old, That does not in anyway or form match up to the currant standard cost of living. DO THE MATH, how dumb do you & the GOVT. think the citizens are.Then for those who were born & stayed in their birth place state,(not like the Southern CALIFORNIANS who invaded & pushed out the natives of Idaho & Mont.), along came the STUPID right to work law, which kept wages, even skilled & professional at poverty level. SS., SSDI., should be based on HOURS WORKED & NOT MONEY MADE. Another way is to redeem our FREEDOM & cash in our SLAVE PAPER,(birth certificate), that is sitting in a bank in Belgium, that the U.S. GOVT. Corporation,has & still is getting loans with the guarantee our taxed wages, are making the payments. If this is not slavery, then I don’t know what is. You need to shut up, until you research it, so you have a clue what the hell is really going on.

I would love to see anyone in congress survive on the pathetic amount were given I made 45,000 a yr before I got sick now I live on 1000 a mo my rent 800 and no low income housing for 6 yrs I worked my butt off for 26 yrs and I’m treated like a lazy ass that wants free money when it’s my money I’m tired of being punished for being sick

I am really sorry that u have gone through so much. Your story causes me to write something that’s been weighing heavy on my chest. I want to know why SSI gives people money who are homeless who do nothing but drink and smoke crack and stand and lawyer all day long from 7 o’clock to 2 o’clock in front of my house and at my business it’s. Why do they support the habits of these people. What is the criteria what do they have to prove. When they give you an address most times they don’t live there I have 3 Brothers who loiter in front of my house in front of my business all day long harassing my customers harassing me drinking from 7 a.m. until 3 a.m. they use their money 2 Buy alcohol and drugs. I don’t understand this. And yet there are people like you who are made to suffer. Can someone please explain this to me. Thank you

Thank you for your comment, Maria. The Social Security Act sets out a strict definition of disability. Our agency pays benefits to eligible individuals who can’t work due to a disabling mental or physical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death. Those who qualify based on our strict definition of disability are among the most severely disabled people in the country. No benefits are payable for partial disability or short-term disability. Furthermore, the Social Security Administration conducts Continuing Disability Reviews from time to time to make sure the individuals receiving checks are still eligible to get them.
If you suspect or know of someone committing fraud, waste, or abuse against Social Security, we encourage you to report it.

Social Security takes reports of fraud very seriously. When allegations of fraud are reported to our Office of the Inspector General, they conduct the required investigations, but federal regulations prohibit the disclosure of information contained in law enforcement records even to the individual making the allegation. Thanks so much for helping us fight fraud.

Ray Fernandez you are the biggest lieing sack of s*** to ever come on here and one that does not like to cuss but you just sit there and tell those outlandish lies I have personally seen hundreds if not thousands all approved disability benefits with the judge knowing they were not disabled how can you your disability judges approve an 18 year old with back problems that’s never worked a day in their life and I’m almost 55 years old living in my vehicle for eight years have been denied disability eight times and I meet the criteria for disability 5 – 6 times so stop your lying you know well and good the system is fixed and rigged and corrupt

You know I like it when Dr’s get on different forums saying that everybody with back pain is faking.Id really like to replicate the pain I get in my lower back from severe muscle spasms.Then you can tell me how it feels to fake it as you say.You step if it’s on the left side you scream in pain and fall down and pull yourself along go get toradol and dilaudid shots In your back.Ive sent my daughter in from the garage crying to call my sister and brother in law to carry me in the house cause I couldn’t walk.I drove a truck for 24 years I’ve worked more 100 hour weeks that carter’s got pills so don’t be preaching to me about not wanting to work bullshit.Ive had 2 back surgerys 1 lumbar 1 thoracic.Im now blind In my left eye from eye stroke herniated disc with spinal cord impediment at c6 c7 2 nerve root cysts 1 at t6 1 at t8 surgery for facet joint removal at t10 t11 causing cord impingement now scar tissue there decompression lamenecto my l3 l4 l5 now another herniation there arthritis in both shoulders with muscle tears arthritic ankle they don’t know how I’m walking on it anyway.I applied for disability they laughed me clear out of the building.As far as I’m concerned people that think I’m faking can kiss my ass.Ive lost everything I owned social security is a scam and the biggest fraud ever put on the american people to many people on it that have never paid into it.Ive tried to go back to work Dot says no go with my eyes always ends up the same way more toradol and dilaudid shots.Im sick of it just needed to vent I want to replicate that pain and you can see then how it feels then look at me and say no biggie.

I just got denied benefits because after I lost my job and insurance in 2013, I could no longer continue treatment for diabetes and could not seek treatment for my chronic pain and severe anxiety. On top of that I didn’t even KNOW I could apply until my “work” credits expired (according to their policy). Since I could not seek treatment, there is no “evidence” of my disabilities. They sent me to have an eye exam but, couldn’t be bothered to send me to see a regular doctor or a shrink to evaluate my claims and obtain the evidence needed. Now, since I can no longer work to “earn” new work credits, all that money I paid in is lost to me forever. I will not have any income until I reach retirement age (IF I live that long) or my husband passes. Yet, a child who has never worked a day in their life, who is born with a disability, can start collecting from the moment they are diagnosed. This system is screwed up!!!!

A child who has severe disabilities. Are allowed to recieve payments from their parents Social Security. There payment depends on what their parent would of been entitled at the time of a child disability. Disability can happen at any time of a depented child until the age of 21. They would be entitled to their Social Security. If they have nevered worked. I am disabled and worked for 32 years. I really didn’t want to be disabled. But, I could not take the pain. I had 5 surgeries on both of my hands all the way up to my elbows. 9 years later I still suffer from pain from nerve injury. As a result, I now suffer from Chronic Pain which affects your brain. I suffer from Fibromyalgia and Neuropathy of my feet all the way from my feet to my knees. I have to take pain medicine for pain daily. I am not mentally addicted to the medicine. I know my body is physically addicted. As I am getting older I am now suffer from Arthritis in many joints. I had surgery on my shoulder last October. I’ve been told I will need to have knee replacements. I would not drive and take pain medicine. I have learned to bite the bullet when I have to drive. I cannot not drive long distances. If I do I am a cripple. I wish I had my life before but, it will never happen. I have accepted my disability. I am blessed to have medical insurance. I had the documentation when I applied for SSDI and approved the first time. It felt like it was forever. I feel for all the people who cannot get their SSDI or SSI. To recieve pain medicine. I have gone to pain management and have a Psychiatrist. My PCP now gives me my prescriptions. Due to the Opioid use in the country. I
have signed a contract with my doctor which I can be called at anytime to come
into the office for a pill count. I have periodic urine tests. Which measures the amount of opioids in my system and checks for other opioids. Also, checks for other controlled substances. I recieve $1716.00 per month and my child who soon will be turing 18. I will lose her money which is half of my SSDI. I am lucky I have a pension of $1,000. You do not have to wait for your pension till you are 65. You are entitled once you are considered disabled. I wait 27 months until I actually received my pension. If you have paid into a retirement 401K or 403b mine was 4% of my salary and my Employer added 4%. This happened years ago when Employers treated Employees well. I had this for 25 years. I will be entitled to it when I turn 59 1/2. You should put your money into safe accounts 5 years before you turn 59. I did it 7 years before. I am afraid the market will crash. When you withdraw you money. Because you are disabled you will only be taxed 10% instead of 20%. I do have life insurance. The law is the insurance company will pay your premiums till you turn 60. I try to buy some silver eagles as an investment. My husband pays child support until my daughter finishes college. I did recieve a letter from Social Security. They do check your status every 7 years. The letter stated. There was not going to be a review. I hope this helps. I pray for all of you.

I really feel for all the people who need that heroin
and how dedicated MEDICARE is about making them well . But I come from a different pain and mine is staying in remission .If I cannot get Medicare insurance to agree to honor and pay for my drug , I risk liver cancer or MS .The addict can get well with more help than I ever seen for my chemo before .
They are eager for that moment before death so your fighting a loosing battle with most .
They have to want to stop anyway and most I am not sure .You are justifying a drug that seems to get more players
I just really do not want another 24 months of chemo and after this last diagnose thru a DNA TEST
I really need the Folic Acid (prescription) and cannot believe for life of me .that Anthem Blue Cross/Medicare will not cover this but has a say in the Heroin trouble and cover that trouble but the important little people do what? I have SSD of 850 a month .Which also makes you wonder. If I thought that would even afford an addiction . I couldn’t ..I choose to live so HOW are they affording it all and then your getting the well TOO ..Well call Medicare and Get me well ..I have more time with Jesus I need to spend and kids I need to see…I do not need a drug that kills .. I need one .that keeps me alive .. please

I heard that addicts were getting some kind of benefit and I want to say that this is just absolutely NOT TRUE, SSI benefits for addiction were stopped in the late 80;s. Addiction is the most misunderstood and neglected though the biggest killer of any other disease or all diseases combined and there are NO benefits for addicts in our system. Please learn the reality before you say these things. Also addiction is no party. You have a vision of people taking drugs and walking around with party hats on and this aint the way it is!! IGNORANCE and a stimgma toward addiction kills more addicts than anything else and I will say it again: ADDICTION is the ONLY disease that gets NO benefits for disability. Get it straight and stop gossiping about something that is NOT TRUE– you will raise your blood pressue.
Addiction kills more people than all diseases and accidents combined and only NOW is the government paying any attention because it is starting to affect the money returned to the government in taxes.

Please don’t spread this belief that drug addicts are sitting around smoking dope and gettng disability for it. That was stopped decades ago!!!

You are wrong. The drug and alcohol addicts were mere reclassified as suffering from “substance abuse” or “mental illness.” The money to support their addictions kept flowing….

From the SSA’s website:

Because drug addiction or alcoholism was no longer a valid reason to retain program eligibility, persons continuing on the rolls had to establish eligibility based on another type of disability. In March 1996, when individuals first began to receive notices, over 60 percent of DA&A SSI beneficiaries cited “substance abuse” as their primary impairment. The second most cited impairment was “other mental disorders” (approximately 11 percent). That category does not include individuals suffering from mental retardation but does include those suffering from personality disorders, anxiety and other neuroses, schizophrenia, paranoia, functional psychoses, and other psychoses.

The primary impairment for DA&A SSI beneficiaries who were still eligible in December 1998 changed slightly, however, from March 1996. Of the 36,510 DA&A beneficiaries with a December 1996 diagnosis of substance abuse, over half (52 percent) were classified in the “other mental disorders” category by December 1998 (Table 2). The second and third most cited categories were “mental retardation” (8.4 percent) and “musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders” (7.7 percent), respectively. Only 4.3 percent of DA&A beneficiaries continued to be listed in the “substance abuse” category.

Thank you Warren. addiction is a very misunderstood illness, because people CHOOSE to remain ignorant about it. The illness of addiction is NOT an illness I would wish on anyone. The is NO CURE for it either. It is FAR FAR from a “lack in morals”. I know many people, good people from all trades who battle this illness on a daily basis, it is no different than cancer. NOT ONE of them signed on the dotted line for it. We all get the cards delt, that we get. I don’t know much, only, 9 times outta 10 a person is her or his OWN Problem. They(including myself at one time) just want to blame anyone and anything…..However, the good news about being your own problem…is you are also your own solution.

YES do not get me wrong .. I am so blessed and could not ask for more .Life took my whole family and you would think I would be so depressed but I know mom my hubby of 20 yrs and my brothers know how strong I am and I will fight this trouble too . but to have the competition with heroin addicts with chemo meds just don’t sound fair

Some things are not covered. If methadone clinics were not there there would be no way for addicts to get themselves out of the situation they are in. I am very sorry for your situation, but if something isn’t covered there isn’t anything that can be done. There are other options to get the money for your prescriptions if you go through charitable organisations.

If an addict got himself into that condition, why is it my responsibility to rescue the person that made those choices?
I think it’s wonderful if people want to donate to these things, but extorting people to take care of people that make bad decisions is only something President Obama would do.

The church is suppose to supply assistance to the poor and those in need for their special tax status, but instead most don’t even give ten percent. We need to do away with religious special tax status when they do so little to help those in need.

Your saying that METHADONE clinics using Methadone, are curing or assisting addicts to be cured or drug free? Are you NUT’S? Methadone is as/ or more addicting than HEROIN. My friend was on it, & also receiving SSI, & did nothing but drink & tell me how the high was almost as good as the Heroine he was so addicted to. He also stated that for the money & the food stamps he is glad to switch from HEROINE TO METHADONE. Now that is straight from the addicts mouth. I took him to the store every month, & every time, he pleaded with me, to let him buy some food for me & pay him cash so he could go buy a bottle of booze. He lived in low income housing that cost him 50.00 a month. You are wrong, stop lying to the public about it, this was in 2015, has it changed. Do they no longer give them EBT cards?

Marylou, I understand but are government has experts making decesions that you might not understand but they fight for majority and people like you very well. I advise you to get off Advantage plan and do Medicare Original and with your income state Medicaid cover the rest. Advantage plans are disadvantage plans allow Medicare – Federal plan take care of you and then pick a plan that covers your med on part D that accepts extra help. Its all in your 2016 book. Please do not try to look at flaws in the system it will drive you nuts but after so much reserach they really do their best but being a free country its a free market where the big guy can capitalize on you and stop you from solving your issue and profit doing so. Please go back to Original and get Medicaid also and extra help for meds and pick a plan that covers it your plan now they dont have to cover many meds but advantage are promoted and are like HMOs not PPO s where you have allot more choice and control😊 good luck are government has your back not Blue Cross remeber that and swicth back to being gov loyal not company loyal like where taught

Marylou – people addicted to Heroin?? ARE JUST AS SICK AND DISABLED, possibly a bit more, AS YOU ARE. Most, don’t even have a bed to sleep on. do you? Have you ever met an addict? Heard their the story of that kind of life? The Jesus I know…He has compassion for EVERYONE. Not just a certain “type” of sick.

I can’t figure out if you were turned down for benefits or what, but some cancers aren’t a death sentence, so someone filing for SSI or SSDI need to go to a hearing if they are turned down, because they have to be evaluated more in depth.

But I have a feeling your situation may be connected to the state you live in. In PA, when I filed for SSDI, I was immediately eligible for Medicaid. And after I was awarded SSI (because the process took so long, my work credits ran out), I retained my Medicaid. While in some instances it’s not as good as having private insurance, for the most part, my medical needs are met. Sure, there are medications and procedures that are denied, but I’m being kept alive, and in less pain, than if I had nothing.

Asking the state to which you and/or your family paid/pays taxes for assistance isn’t a sin. If you need help, that’s what it’s there for.

Also, just a little bit of wisdom I picked up along my way in life: what other people do, or do not, receive in life shouldn’t be of your concern. Do what you have to do for yourself. What they have doesn’t affect what you may be entitled to. All that does is take away your sense of inner peace. If people with substance abuse problems also get SSI and Medicaid, it’s not my issue. My issue is my own health and well-being. I had to fight for what I needed, but it wasn’t drug addicts who got in my way, it was just a matter of getting the government to see my problems more clearly. I don’t have time to worry about who else gets what, I’m too busy concentrating on my own health. The only person who affects me is me, other than a Congress that I mostly didn’t vote for, so I worry about the things that are within my power, and all else is background noise.

Did JESUS quit his job????
I am really curious. NO ONE & I mean NO ONE in this world has the right to take a life away from someone who does not have the money or insurance that covers a medication or or a procedure, that will cure a condition or disease, a person is suffering. Medicare is doing just that. GET IT? That would be taking over GOD’s job of deciding who should LIVE & who should die. Basically your saying the rich will live & the poor will die., right. Also you don’t have time to worry about other peoples issues on covering what illness they have, did you ever stop & think that sharing your procedure to cover your illness more thoroughly how much you would be helping others suffering like you. WHAT, NO you didn’t. I hope that this would be your answer, if not your day before the man upstairs is going to be 1000 x more difficult then Medicare could ever be. GOOD LUCK YOU ARE GOING TO NEED IT.

My name is Burrell Allen and I have been trying to get my benefits reinstated or expected since March. As of right now I have been told that my benefits are going through since I am a unemployable disabled veteran with a 70% rating. I’ve already lost my main means of transportation and I have a motorcycle left that I will lose as of the 20th of September I am not trying to make a complaining issue of this I would just like to know if I have a chance to save my motorcycle from repossession or if I can find a way to get released of my brand from being psychologically unemployable.

Hi Mr. Allen, for your security, we do not have access to personal information in this venue. Please continue working with your local office or call our toll free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask to speak with one of our representatives, who are available Monday through Friday between 7:00am and 7:00pm.

Fuck ssdi you pay in all your life and if you’re a working white man and apply you get treated like a criminal . I guess you have to be a wet back or a black women from Africa with a bunch of kids that you don’t even know who’s the father . The people that collect ssdi are not the people that paid into the system . With all crooked judges , lawyers , so called doctor’s , security and lazy self serving employees I am surprised anyone gets benefits .

While I have no problem with providing disability assistance to severely disabled persons I find the statement “Because the Social Security Act sets out a strict definition of disability, our beneficiaries are among the most severely disabled people in the country. We provide modest benefit payments to workers who contributed into the Social Security trust fund before becoming disabled.” to be an incorrect statement, at least in Louisiana.
Working in the medical profession I have seen obese 3 year olds with no other medical condition receiving disability benefits though they have never worked a day in their lives (and why would they) and their parent/parents have not worked and contributed either. This directly conflicts with the statement above. I fear that either the blog post needs revision or the criteria for providing disability assistance in the state of Louisiana needs to be reassessed and put back on track.

The 3 year old might be receiving SSI disability or a survivors benefit. He is not getting anything though that is not earned by someone in the family. If the family has no work history then SSI is all that is available. It comes from the general revenue fund and the SS trust funds are not effected. SSI is a welfare program administered by social security. I will admit that the disability factors to receive benefits are too lax.

I choose to disagree as it took me forever to be found disabled. The Social Security is telling the truth. They have set out a strict definition of disability. They do however give money for seven years through the Amnesty Act and when these appeal they can get up to another three years.
I have heard from several people who have lost their cases to be found disabled…. They wouldn’t be turned down so much if it weren’t for strict guidelines set
out .

Not only Louisiana!! My son applied for disability in South Dakota, because he had a heart virus and his heart was double in size when he was honorably discharged from the Army. He was told he could work a desk job, never mind what he was capable of. Well, he couldn’t get hired for a desk job as the interviewers could clearly see he was not suited for it. So he went back to what he was doing before the heart virus. Being a roustabout. NOW HE IS DEAD!!! AND I hold those “Judges of the Severely Disabled” RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS DEATH!!!!!!!! He was only 46 years old. and had paid into the disability fund for quite some time. And I feel abhorrence toward the self-perpetuating employment that is continually spending government money telling us what a wonderful job they are doing while my son is mouldering in his grave. Is death seriously disabled enough for you?????

First of all, my sympathies for your loss. The loss of a child, regardless their age, is the most difficult experience any parent could ever have.

But I have questions: did your son go to a hearing after he was initially turned down? Did he retain a lawyer to help with his filing or appeal, one who specializes in disability cases? If he did have a hearing and was denied there, did he file again? Also, I don’t know if other states are like mine, but as soon as I filed for benefits, I was eligible for Medicaid, which helped, and continues to help, me a great deal with all my medical needs, not just my disabling conditions. Initially, my state’s welfare program paid me a monthly benefit of less than $200 a month, along with $200 a month in food stamps, while I was waiting for my SSI decision. A couple of months after I was finally awarded SSI, a new governor in my state stopped those welfare payments to people waiting on their SS decisions, and I feel so terrible for other people filing claims now. He only got one term, but I don’t know if the new governor reinstated those payments yet.

I feel terrible that your son passed. I don’t know the entire situation, but it seems to me like he should have qualified for some assistance. Cold comfort for you for sure, but I hope at some point you regain some peace. My sister refused to believe she needed help, despite her physical inability to work anymore, and we lost her, too. Our dad tried hard to help her, but her mental illness worked against her.

Celina, we pay disability benefits through two programs: the Social Security disability insurance program (SSDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI). If a person worked and paid enough into the Social Security program and is found disabled under our rules, he or she can receive benefits under the SSDI program. SSI is a needs based program that pays benefits to people with limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older. A blind or disabled child, if younger than age 18, can qualify for SSI, if he or she has a physical or mental condition, or combination of conditions, that results in “marked and severe functional limitations” — this means that the condition(s) must very seriously limit the child’s activities. We also consider the income and resources of family members living in the child’s household. For more information, please read our publication: Benefits For Children With Disabilities.

So where would I direct complaints or concern about patients I’ve seen receiving the SSI benefit you mention when the patient does not have a true medical disability and is not receiving survivor benefits as someone suggested above? Where does the money that funds the SSI benefits come from? As a medical professional I am in a position to know if a patient is truly disabled and have seen many patients both children and adults who receive benefits for non-disabling conditions.
If you can direct me towards the appropriate entity to submit my concerns I would be very grateful.

Hi Celina, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues. Social Security taxes withheld from workers’ paychecks under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) do not fund the SSI program. The total SSI funding is set annually by Congress as part of the federal budget process. State agencies (usually called Disability Determination Services or DDSs), are responsible for developing medical evidence and making the initial determination on Social Security disability claims. See our Disability Determination Process for more information. If you suspect that someone is receiving SSI benefits but shouldn’t, we ask you to report it to our FRAUD department. We thank you for your concern in this matter!

Wait, did anybody read? her son died.he fucking died. my heart has a stint from a heart attack and im one pill away from seeing jesus. and all this guy can say is if someone is receving…bullshit!!
you guys are doing us wrong and its going to stop now! please i tell you CELINA HAM and all of you, brave tired souls march with me. i am not a star but i will be the platform for this. please share this and watch over and over and over. i will get patitions if from ones who are brave. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvZH88R9Qs0

Social Security Disability is evidently for individuals who know how to fraud the system. If you have to work with tons of pain medicine in your system and can’t function like a normal person since you are in so much pain from 5 rotator cuff surgeries, two carpal tunnel surgeries, spinal fusion -ACDF, herniated/ruptured disc in lower back, sciatic nerve pain, diabetic neuropathy, major depression, etc. and cannot get approved for disability even though you’ve worked full time since the age of 13 and am now 60. To find out, I’m disqualified because I am working and not living on the streets or in a cardboard box or incarcerated is appalling! How can a released felon receive social security disability when they have never been a contributing member of society and someone who has been gainfully employed for the majority of their life be disqualified for not using public assistance and trying to support themselves? This is absolutely unacceptable and the program needs revamped. Social Security Disabilty is hoping you overdose yourself before you are eligible for regular Social Security or kills yourself from all the pain meds you are on while driving impaired from the narcotics to get to/from work. What a farse and then those obtaining Social Security Disability receive non-reported housing, utilities, food, transportation, etc. from charities who don’t report their SS#!

I’m there also and I’m still fighting. There are so many things going on with me I know, I would rather be working than not being able to do much of anything now Its very depressing and tired of all the medication that never seems to work. I’m very frustrated. I see people all the time that I know don’t deserve, but are receiving help.

Wow! That is just so wrong what’s been done to you. But then, its typical of all govt. administered programs. Full of injustice. I have a crippling form of arthritis and receive nothing from the govt. at all. 35 years of work and I’ve been ruled ineligible for any kind of benefit. Its corruption and stealing. I’m voting for Trump. Because he’ll put an end to all the crooks who underwrite deadbeats off other people’s money.

I know the feeling. Went through this years ago with my Husband, who at 30 years old was diagnosed with degenerative back dieses and had a 70 year old back. Not suppose to sit for more than 30 minutes at a time, or lift anything over 30 lbs. He was a dock worker and out of work for 3 years, and still didn’t qualify. So he has been doing everything he is not to do for 30 years, in constant pain. I guess he just has to wait till he ends up in a wheel chair
and we no long will have a life. Now he has torn both shoulder up, surgery on those and both knees need surgery, but we can’t afford for him to be off work either. Something is really wrong with the system. A friend with cancer didn’t even live long enough to get through the approval process, but so many more get it so quickly. I just don’t understand.

you do for those disabled. You would have to walk a mile in their shoes to see all the many reasons why people become disable. Believe you me 99.999 would prefer not to be handicapped. It is a lonely world out there when you have worked for years in an of on September 8, 2015 at 1:31 pmsaid:

I am thankful that Social Disability is there when things happen and you find yourself in a pickle.

I worked through intense pain for over 20 years, never took SSI or even had my VA rating reevaluated since the I jury was related to active duty service. I took STD through my workplace insurance, and have had nothing but problems with them, they have outright lied to me and others and have denied my benefits (that I PAID for) since Dec, 2014. Now that I am fighting them for that, I find out that even if I do eventually get my PAID FOR benefit, I will be forced to apply for SSI, just for the purpose of REPAYING THEM!!!WHAT!!! This company is named Sedgwick and provides insurance to 100’s of thousands of workers or at least claims to…and we pay them back with the SSI benefit that we have contributed to by force, so they technical ally are not out a dime.. what is up with that SS Administration, what lobby group got that insane measure passed? So I pay for SSI (Maxed every year at approximately $7000) and on top of it I pay for a disability insurance that did nothing g but tear my family apart…!!! Since my wife of 22uears and 7months decided it was too much for her and said to me “she quits”! Now I have a house and two boys to care for and what with??? I paid for TWO different benefits and have received neither, all I have done is emptied what was supposed to be our retirement. Thanks for absolutely NOTHING!!!Rds1atl@outlook.com if you have a comment!

Feel your pain….I too see ked justice in an unjust, blind and incompetent system….broken to the bone….thank God you have your kids….lost mine to a mentally ill ex wife….the harder I fought the more they took away….hang in there brother…..hold onto your kids….I’m praying for you….

I know what you mean. Regardless of the fight you put up. the government wins.FDR put this shell game in place counting on the individual becoming deceased before collecting a dime of the money they put in. Bush had the right idea. He wanted to privatize ssi. This would prevent the government from raiding the piggy bank. It would also assure you that the money would be there and you could leave it to whom ever you want if it was not completely spent. But the elderly went up in arms about it and thought Bush was taking their money away. What they failed to realize is the government plan on keeping the money and pay out as little as possible to fund their pet projects or pockets. When are people going to wake up. We as individuals are nothing but a pawn for the government. We are to subsidize the whim and wishes like those in previous monarchies. There is no longer “We the people” any more.
Richard

Cry me a river. Guess what? You can’t get more fair than giving everyone nothing. Apply when you get 67 and draw retirement social security. Social security was never meant to be a welfare system. The entire program needs to be dumped. Its nobody’s fault you’re disabled or were born that way. Let God provide not stealing other people’s money.

While it is commendable that there is an economic lifeline for the disabled, it is a fact that can’t be disputed, SSA has expanded the disability roles to a point where payment of those benefits is no possible in the short term. Why the sudden increase in people on the disability roles in the past 6 or so years? The economy? Politics? Lack of jobs? Lowering disability standards? Perhaps all these things play into the fact that the disability trust fund is about broke and no one seems to have the will to fix it or the retirement trust fund for that matter.

They want to keep borrowing from social security. But when 50 something boomers retire all 78 million of them many will be sick and/or disabled and looking to cash in their old age pensions. But there won’t be anything left for them. The govt. intends to let these people die in the streets because it spent their money taking care of dope addicts. They should put these terminally ill, severely disable people out of their misery. Give them the Dr. Kavorkian treatment and save money.

How old are you, FedUp? You sound like someone who thinks (s)he’ll live forever. Get a grip.

At 67, I have lived on SS Retirement (not disability), which I have really needed since I was 63. At that point, I had already had 2 cancer surgeries for 2 separate cancers, at Houston’s MD Anderson. They both abruptly stopped my work and one of them nearly killed me at age 60 – all after 44 years working and contributing to the SS fund.

But I was lucky. I recovered from both by 62 and in 2010-11 I went on to Iraq on missions to help soldiers find the bad guys. Ever been to war, FedUp? I doubt it.

In any case, after returning at 63, I found out a had a bad ticker and was lucky to have not returned in a body bag somewhere in one of the 20 places I had to go, from the Syrian border to the Iranian border, and everywhere in-between.

FedUp, what I did helped SAVE soldiers’ lives, and what Social Security now does for me has saved MY life. I am very grateful to President Roosevelt for what he did, even though people like you want to scrap it all for some godawful private program.

FedUp, you definitely need to get out more and stop complaining about life and bureaucrats and people you don’t know. We all live on this planet, not just you. Like me, you will age, and you won’t live forever.

If they are about broke why is our president promising to bring over 100,000 migrants by 2017 who will qualify for social security benefits through the Amnesty Act? America can’t even get around to helping back logged veterans or providing a lifeline for the truly disabled who have no other physical means of support.

I have no problem with helping truly disabled people with income and support. However, there are too many people who have found ways to cheat, and are not truly disabled receiving SS assistance. Would advise more careful monitoring and checking.

We appreciate your concern Donna. Social Security conducts medical reviews periodically to make sure the individuals receiving checks are still eligible to get them. But if you suspect fraud, waste or abuse of Social Security benefits, please report it.

I have a problem with it. Welfare and Medicaid will cover them. Another thing children and widows don’t need this money. Franklin Roosevelt created an old age pension and that’s the way it should remain. The greater evil will become apparent when the old retired workers of this society will be dying in the streets of disease, neglect, the elements, starvation and old age. It’ll look like Calcutta. A lot of boomer were wiped out in the recession and will have to depend on social security. Most workers are not in the 10% or the 1%.

I agree. Lots of children who are to young to even work get benefits. It is the parents responsibility to care for their children not social security’s…….And they don’t get reevaluated from time to time. Then at 18 they go through a peace of cake interview and get it till they die. I think a better way to check the kids is to make a requirement for them to be evaluated through the Department of Rehabilitation in there state. California has an excellent program. Perhaps before giving any one benefits they could be made to go through the Dept. of Rehab in their state. This could lower the numbers already on it that never went through their program and prevent new people (including migrants) getting benefits…

I’m still wondering why my case and the people I put in my civil rights case hasn’t been investigated. Trust me when I tell you any paper work they do not have, I have 17 folders of it. Along with recordings and a log book of names, dates, and times.

I paid into SS for over 40 years and now being disabled has made a big impact on my life. Thank God for this program. However how is it that someone who has only paid into it for less than 2 years and messed themselves up with drugs can be eligible to draw SS. They said they are drawing a “crazy check”. Also they can draw $1200 a month. Some have even faked being crazy to be able to draw this. Any answers?

I have a white male friend – permanently injured his back at work – has a heart condition and mental illness. Has been turned down for disability and told to get a job. What a joke he has a high school education – is in his 50’s, the only job he’s had in the past 20 years is truck driver, he cannot sit or stand for more than 20 minutes – must lay down to relieve pain – talks to himself, is paranoid and delusional at times – but Doesn’t qualify? The system is broken and the those

When I applied, I had just become blind, was still fighting cancer, and had a seizure disorder. However, I was immediately denied. I got a lawyer and won! There are many lawyers out there who will take your friend’s case and won’t charge him unless/until he actually gets on disability and when that happens he will get backpack from the very first time he applied.

My situation is that as a citizen of the United States and a widow who worked in schools to teach our children to believe in the laws of our country I myself find it hard to understand certain things. I became disabled in the year 1999. My SSDI is so low I just can’t live on $725.a month. But any immigrant who shows up to our shores receives over $1040. I found this out working as a volunteer for older people.

She didn’t say “illegal” so why did you jump there? Do you assume that there’s no such thing as a legal immigrant, in a nation whose population virtually consists solely of immigrants and their progeny?

that is exactly what is wrong with our system. If you don’t pay into the system you get more than the ones like us who pay into the system for years.
That is why you see soooo many never want to work, it would affect their benefits.

I paid SS tax for 40 years, injured my back and am on disability. I am grateful for the income they provide. What bothers me is that Washington transferred all the SS funds into the general budget and gave the SS administration an IOU. The SS fund would be fine if the politicians had not robbed the fund. Interest that could have been accumulated for this large sum of money is forever gone. The truth is, there is not one red cent in the SS fund. The benefits that are paid out is borrowed to pay us. We are all on a sinking ship with no life boats to rely on. God help us, because we are on a path of financial destruction. What comes out of Washington is nothing less than smoke and mirrors.

Come on, do you think the Social Security Trust fund(s) is a big safe full of dollar bills? Just as you may put your extra money into a US government saving bond or T-bill, the trust funds have done the same. The principal and interest is due back to SS when they cash in the Govt IOU’s just like when you cash in a savings bond. Even counting the full value of the trust funds, they are running out of money, the disability trust fund I think within a year and the old age trust fund in a couple of decades. They are not running out because the money was loaned to the government so that is a completely false statement. Both parties are to blame for not fixing it, too much of a hot button issue. Safer to get re-elected by doing nothing and that just makes the problem worse with time.

Come 7 to 12 years all hell is going to break loose when over 50 million retirees looking to withdraw their social security benefits find zilch! That is a majority of the workforce. Raising the age isn’t going to work the chickens will come home to roost. SS disability will be broke next year in 2016. I suggest they don’t fund it with workers money. If they refund it do it with cuts or dissolution to the pensions of federal CRS retires, congressional, postal, railroad, executive & judicial branch retirees. Congressional crooks can give their pensions to social security disability.

I wonder why SSDI can be given to 2 and 3 yr olds who are “disabled” or “learning disabled” as per a SS Dr. examiner, get $550/mo. or more, and no one in the family has ever held a job. This is welfare, nothing less. Not to be paid back. My taxes pay for this. Now, when I want “disability” I am jumping many hoops. I am entitled as I paid. Many are not. System broken. Immigrants birth child in US and get my entitlements! This is so wrong! Needs corrected now. You pay into it, you get benefits, right? How can it be given free? Who is responsible for this policy? Please say.

You are correct. People seem to get the two mixed up all the time. SSI is a “welfare” program for those who never worked or for children. It goes through the State. Our taxes do help fund that program. People with salaries fund SSDI for themselves, if needed, when disabled before retirement age.

You are so wrong! SSI is not always for people who never worked. Some people became disabled at an early age, and did not earn enough points to receive regular social security of SSDI. Also some people worked, but their income was below the IRS reporting requirements, so they worked under the table, no dirty joke intended, and it was done legally.

social security should be safe for decades the 6 member bard get’s there yearly salary increases but yet they don’t want to give social security benefits claimants a 2016 physical year COLA increase,& we retireees lose 30% of our weekly gross wages/earnings,& the 1.5% – 1.7% Cola increase yearly isn’t enough it should be 5.0% – 7.0% annually each physical year to balance out the rise in inflation,& we shouldn’t have to pay the 20% that medicare doesn’t cover we contribute 6.2% weekly to Medicare the employer matches that 6.2 %,& we contribute weekly for 40 b- 45 years in the workplace & Medicare is drawing 6.0% – 8.0% interest on our weekly contributions & we are getting no return on our contributions/investments>? when we reire after 40 – 45 years we should have 100% paid medicare coverage with low deductibles,low copays,& not have to pay 1st 8 day’s of hospital stays or visitsSocial Security,& Medicare both need reforming with major changes in both agencies,& there’s no way that in the 3rd quarter of 2016 that Social Security Disability should be out of money/funds it has been improperly managed, & regulated the trust fund should have trillions of dollars in it,alot of people pass away before age 62 & have contributed for years,& have no survivors so that leads to a surplus in social security in all trust funds,& Medicare needs to handle all claims in house & not use 3rd party contractors,@ our expense with our yearly federal tax contributions,Medicare needs to handle claims themselves in house with no 3rd parties that have access to all our private imformation,& for our personal security.!

I, for one, depend on that measly percentage each year to help me for the current year’s increases. I don’t understand why everytime there needs to be a budget cut, it has to affect the elderly and disabled above everything else? A lot of recipients have to do without medications so they can meet there other obligations. This is terrible to make someone go through! Please, someone within the program go to bat for us and don’t accept that budget cut to the social security program. It is vitally important to use to live!

Medicare drawing interest? I wonder where this phantom 6-8% interest, supposedly, earned on our contributed f.I.c.a. monies comes from, …. That people believe is automatically earned? One would have to then lend out this f.I.c.a. fund to others, expecting a return. Isn’t this fund barely existent? … Or not at all?

I feel I shouldn’t be forced to subsidize health care when I do all I can to maintain good health, work as a health care provider and have for years, acquired an associate degree with $42k worth of student loan debt that MUST be repaid and the degree is not even useable really, while I receive excellent evaluations from work, only receiving the “MAX” 2% -3% raise on $11.88/he. All while being the single parent of ONE…did I mention I made the Deans List each of the 7 years (14semesters

Yet does ssdi some hard to get afterpaid 22years into system,I was beileveing in this system until ,I experience so much injustice, how can SSA not follow it own rules? It a shame how our’s due process can let people slip through and system can make you get front a judge that already not impartial at all ,how can the over rule Federal Judge ,any one settle get some benefits .it shame how they prolong instead given !y S.S.D.I.benefits after I turn 50their withold still my benefits and only S.SI.which is only 1/3,how one live on $733.00a omnth in compares to get $1800.00 that a big maybe someone need to do a interinvengate .?How you withhold people not given anything when you earn to many quarters that why you even ssi while people homeless and pennyless instead make a rule with three years may be that wolud reduced number case ,quit keep people a favor approved when you no intend release hard work wage then patenley person instead doing you job.?!

Fedup, you are extremely anal! Have you ever thought things out before passing judgemdnt? What if English is hie 2nd language and that’s the best that he could do. Judge ye by the contents of thy thoughts, not by the spelling of thy words.

Even I made a typo, and I am well educated, but severely disabled by a dozen medical conditions. My hands and fingers do not even work properly at times, and I was once able to type 120 words per minute. Even my piano playing is a joke now.

It took my mother 1 ¹/2 plus years before she finally was placed before a SSA Administrative Judge. She was finally awarded SSDI benefits. Since the funds she receives is technically her own earned income during her years being employed, I’m baffled as to why and how SSA seems to make up some rules as they go, as well as implementing regulations where and when they deem appropriate. My mother applied December 2, 2008, with documentation indicating date of disability onset as November 18, 2008. She if course was initially denied. She appealed. During such time, she requested that the SSA doctors also examine/diagnose her. NEVER happened, just another denial in 2009. Finally in June 2010, within a month of retaining Binder and Binder attorneys, she was in front of a judge. She was awarded benefits. The judge set her disability date as 11/18/08. Now how is it, if the funds are actually monies earned during her years of employment, and her disability date is set by a judge who has the final word, SSA can say she then has a 6 month waiting period before they will begin calculating all the back pay, as well as when her Medicare would start which by the way 6 months from the date you are awarded benefits. So she’s determined disabled by a judge as of 11/18/08, but can not start collecting until 5/1/09 (SSA does not prorate), and then she can’t get her medical benefits through Medicare until 5/1/11. Yet, from the time she was 15 1/2 years old, every single paycheck issued to her, she had paid into both SS and Medicare (a.k.a. FICA). Why is this? If people pay for it, then they should be able to receive upon being awarded benefits as well as the collecting of back pay be the date of disability the judge has indicated in his answer. Same with Medicare. I mean, if SSA is going to implement the judges “recommendation ” in his answer that a “Representative Payee” be put into place as they believe my mother at the time was not mentally capable of handling her finances (she was at that time, but by mid 2012 she absolutely was not) plus when she did choose a Representative Payee, they said no, that it’s recommended that it be a family member. In her family, that would have been much worse. So, I agreed at the age of 18 to handle her funds and still do.
Now, what I would also like to know is, why is it that the recent rumors of people now being able to receive approximately $2400-$2600/month in SSDI benefits, but only if you do not already receive funds. Now if you are supposedly paid according to what you made during the years you were employed, how can they suddenly give you a specified amount for all? Why wouldn’t those already collecting also benefit? And why is your monthly benefit amount based on what you made and not what was paid into it? And finally, don’t you think that if a person is totally and completely obviously unable to work, shouldn’t the benefit amounts be calculated to where the disabled person Will be able financially survive? My mother gets $1070/month, with having $300/month garnished by an order obtained by my father after committing perjury in court and falsifying Proof of Service documents (I’m currently fighting this), so she lives on $770/month (my dad lives in a million dollar house, go figure), her monthly rent alone is $1050. Because she requires 24 hour care, we have a caregiver who lives with us full time, and is paid by our local County agency for these services. I also live with my mother with my toddler child, as she needs care while the caregiver is out on errands and during the caregivers days off. I receive $541 a month, so she doesn’t qualify for Section 8 housing even though she is not married. What are individuals in her position to do? This is wrong! Meanwhile, we have neighbors collecting who have barely worked during their lifetime receiving more than she does and also receives housing benefits.
Oh, and who sits in the SSA office deciding who gets and doesn’t get benefits? Between the dozen or so daily seizures, the physical disabilities, and the severe mental disabilities, she should have been approved much sooner than she was!
THE DEFINITION, RULES, AND REGULATIONS TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PERSON IS DISABLED OR NOT BY SSA REALLY MUST BE RE-EVALUATED! WHY NOT MAKE THESE DECISIONS USING SOME TYPE OF SLIDING SCALE. AFTER ALL, EACH PERSON AND THEIR CASE IS DIFFERENT.
THANK YOU

I just want to say that the previous post where I ranted about others getting ssdi was all wrong! They are getting ssi which is not taken out of the SS fund! I just didn’t know! So, please excuse this old man as I guess I had a senior moment! Still, I think many echo my concerns, however, cause they don’t know either!

Why destroy Social Security Disability granting people that are able to work. I worked 51 years with a disability. You see people just about dead but after getting their Disability they work, they hunt with four-wheelers killing deers and dressing them in the field and yet say they have back problems. The Disability Insurance is running out of money next year. There are jobs people with disability. They need only to train them.

there are many disabilities that employers have no patience for. for example neurological disabilities where a person may be very intelligent but due to perceptual motor disabilities cannot do any job other than talk about what they know. a person like that needs SSDI because they cannot pass probation because they get fired from every job because employers have no patience and some disabilities like CP, ataxia, perceptual motor disabilities, and other neurological impairments impair motor skills, mobility, perceptual spatial skills and judgement and problem solving as well as speed and production. also disabilities such as fibromyalgia and arthritis impair mobility and judgment and cause severe chronic pain making concentration difficult. when a person has all of these conditions, no employer will keep them. such people need some kind of help
i am a business prof and i teach my students about these issues so that when they become HR personnel or employers they can be more sensitive and patient to people with such disabilities

Those people need to be turned in for fraud!
In 7/2006, my mother was in a terrible accident. She was resuscitated 4 times. Her doctor said she should be dead, not sitting in her office for a follow up to the accident. Within 2 days after the accident, my mother was back at work. She had always been a workaholic, going back as far as I can remember (toddler age). She also continued to work for just under 2 years after the accident. Unfortunately, she just couldn’t do it anymore. She was an accountant, who knew her numbers inside and out. Her regional manager could call her while she was at one client location, and rattle off Whatever financial information needed for any client location her was asked about and freaky as it is, she was always right. So when paychecks suddenly were incorrect, financial statements were wrong, etc she had to quit, but was fired first while one of her frequent hospital trips due to constant seizures (Epilepsy). Even now, she averages 50 overnight hospital stays in a 60 day period. Sometimes she’s there for weeks at a time. SO FOR YOU TO SAY FOR THE DISABLED INDIVIDUALS TO GET OFF SSDI, IS NOT ONLY WRONG, AN UNEDUCATED/UNINFORMED REASON FOR A SOLUTION, A DEFINITE SIGN OF A CRUEL/UNCARING AND SELFISH PERSON WHO BY THE SOUNDS OF IT, IS ONLY THINKING OF ONES SELF. ARE YOU THAT IGNORANT THAT YOU CAN NOT UNDERSTAND OR OPEN YOUR MIND TO THE FACT THAT EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT AND EVERY PERSON IS DIFFERENT. NOT TO MENTION, NOT EVERYONE IS RECEIVING SSDI.
ALSO, IF YOU KNOW FOR SURE A PERSON ON SSDI (NOT SSI) US IN FACT USING ANY TYPE OF ILLEGAL STREET DRUGS, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DSA OFFICE. WITH ENOUGH COMPLAINTS/EVIDENCE OR MAYBE WITH LESS, SSA WILL DRUG TEST. IF THE TEST RETURNS POSITIVE, THEIR SSDI AND MEDICARE BENEFITS WILL IMMEDIATELY BE DISCONTINUED!
STOP BLAMING EVERYONE FOR SOME PEOPLES FLAWS/WRONG DOINGS!

You mom should visit Dr. Kavorkian. It’s time. Yes, I’m cruel and uncaring and damned right. The only fair & equal thing to do is give nothing. You mom is wasting millions of dollars in her treatments and she didn’t pay that kind of money into the fund. All welfare programs need to be dismantled a.s.a.p. You have to be cruel to be kind.

I really feel for all the people who need that heroin
and how dedicated MEDICARE is about making them well . But I come from a different pain and mine is staying in remission .If I cannot get Medicare insurance to agree to honor and pay for my drug , I risk liver cancer or MS .The addict can get well with more help than I ever seen for my chemo before .
They are eager for that moment before death so your fighting a loosing battle with most .
They have to want to stop anyway and most I am not sure .You are justifying a drug that seems to get more players
I just really do not want another 245 months of chemo and after this last diagnose thru a DNA TEST
I really need the Folic Acid (prescription) and cannot believe for life of me .that Anthem Blue Cross/Medicare will not cover this but has a say in the Heroin trouble and cover that trouble but the important little people do what? I have SSD of 850 a month .Which also makes you wonder HOW are they affording all that and cigarettes and rides and YOUR getting the well ? I said enough

Why don’t you simply end it? You’re terminal so do what comes naturally. Such a life has run its course and really isn’t worth fighting for my mother refused further treatments for cancer. You should do the same. There’s a dignity in death.

“most severely disabled”
My close “relative” on disability now makes really good income. Disability + x2 side businesses. Cash payments as much as possible to hide it. Lots of time to hunt and vacation. I’m really not sure what his disability is, he is healthier than a lot of the working people I know. Carrying his deer and elk, hiking miles in the mountains, loading steel and copper for scrap ( one of his cash buisinesses ) Etc. 🙂 also pastors a church….

It’s sad I worked all my life and I can not afford my medical bills on my MEDICARE and ins but I see people that never worked and get every thing free for medical and get loans for cars food share and get thee heat bills paid and wast there money have big tvs and sit in the bars I can’t even afford food I don’t get food share or help with my heat because I have high dr bills and high meds to pay

These stories emphasize the importance of persistence and mentoring. Our disabled neighbors CANNOT fight the disability application battle alone. They are busy fighting the pain and suffering. I am a volunteer mentor. My secretary and I do all the busy work so the Disabled can focus on their medical condition. There are times that I wish I could financially do more. Everyone needs a volunteer mentor – this is NOT a battle to fight alone. Attorneys are looking for slam dunk cases. Their fees are small and the attorney needs to pay his bills. If you feel in your heart that your FRIEND is handicapped and cannot work then lead the charge, it takes a village. AND there is a difference, a BIG difference, between SSDI and SSI. It is very important to understand the acronyms and to use them correctly. There is much more to helping people get SSDI, you also need to learn about food stamps, subsidized rentals, medicaid, pharmaceutical foundations, food banks, etc. This is a package deal, one band aid is not going to fix the financial challenges of trying to live on SSDI. A person who has paid the max into SS will find it difficult living on SSDI – because of the medical expenses. Medicare does not kick in right away. It is an uphill fight until Medicare does kick in. The most useful tool is a fax machine. Most of the agencies will let you fax in forms and papers. Forms can be printed off of web sites and faxed in. I also make sure that a SS employee knows about every time the Disabled person sneezes until the claimant is on full benefits. You will also need to learn about the various Doctors your claimant is using AND be sure to go to every SS hearing or meeting, keep all documents by date. I scan and keep them as pdf files.

i’d like too know why some people get ssi/ssd, i have friends where i live in a small town live in a hud funded housing unit. and 10 out of 19 of my friends are getting ssd/ssi? i just wanna know why? and how do you(myself)apply for it if im allowed too have

I do not understand how you figure your average foe disability. I received disability starting in June of 2010, I cannot not walk or stand. I have only 37% use of my lungs. I only started with $188.00 a month. I used my ticket to work and worked out of my home for NTI until January 2012 I was then laid off and have never found another job. In August of 2012 I applied for spousal benefits and by check for that was 400.00 They combined the two checks this year in January and both together is just 654 dollars. I would like to know why I can not get more money a month.

my comment is I don’t like the social sicuirity ad ministration don’t help me with my problem the doctor know I have mental illness depression disorder I don’t have control my self some time I fight with the people very hard some time they want hurt me I have court 17 September I Rockville MD I want told that social security the other thing the polices officer discriminate me with my birth date him put 06/20/1988 that is not right my birth date is 06/20/1968 he get my driver licenses I don’t know why he did that let me know you can help me thank

What a great labor day. My tenure on disability insurance is secure and my 41 years are up to the task of both OASDI Tables IV and OMB Table 4.1. It would make me happier for the Actuary to pass my Social Security Amendment of 2016 than to have to actually serve as the high paid Actuary and OMB Director myself. My buggy computer has no more non-fiction to contribute to SSA at this time. My Steve Jobs here is done. I realize this report is even longer than the usual length of SS Bulletin articles. The Act is short and sweet – the disabled pay the USPS, balance the federal budget, expand federal programs for the poor and consider paying 1% of a FICA tax to the UN in 2020 to have a hope of running a profitable government health insurance business limited to $1 trillion in expenditures a year. I am asking you this day to go straight to the first section of the book on Poverty and Social Security that explains every Actuarial Act that matters to social security. It shows the layman how to do the blanks in the DI trust fund table justice so that you, the reader, might sign in to the Actuarial debate regarding the bill facing the OASI trust fund whose Actuary hasn’t recalculated the OASDI tax rate since 2000. Because the tax rate calculation is so difficult the current Actuary is presumed to not be physically and mentally able to suddenly do the equation and is asked to swallow his pride and agree with HA mathematics to arrive at the same educated guess – the Social Security Amendment of 2016. To answer your questions I plan to remain obsessively-compulsed to respond to Social Security Matters blog until the tax evasion goes into effect on October 1, 2015 when I will unsubscribe from this electronic consortium that was not able to do God’s work. And as an afterthought for generation x, if we win I actually like participating in this blog and imagine it will be a less stressful intrusion in my work and could make me a better social worker. It seems wise that some social retreat accompany my need to recalculate for the total depletion of the DI Trust Fund – emergency tax rate of 2.4% for the remainder of calendar year 2016 to 2.3% in 2017 and 2.2% in 2018 when the sometimes DI sometime OASI paid “early retirees” will show what it means to convert from DI to OASI. The Social Security Amendment of 2016 needs to be passed now, before October 1, or the disability insurance trust fund is nearly certain to be depleted sometime in calendar year 2016.

Social Security Amendment of 2016

Free Disability Insurance Reallocation Tax (DIRT) Act

To immediately amend the DI tax rate from 1.80% to 2.30%, from 0.90% to 1.15% for employees and from 0.90% to 1.15% for employers under Sec. 201(b)(1)(S) of the Social Security Act 42USC(7)II§401 and amend the OASI tax rate from 10.60% to 10.10%, from 5.30% to 5.05% for employees under 26USC(C)(21)(A)§3101 (a) and from 5.30% to 5.05% for employers under 26USC(C)(21)(A)§3111 (a) to avoid depletion of the Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund in 2016 without increasing the overall 12.4% OASDI or 15.3% OASDI and Hospital Insurance (HI) tax-rate under 26USC(A)(2)§1401 beginning October 1, 2015.

To amend the DI tax rate again in 2018 to 2.20% from 2.30%, from 1.15% to 1.10% for employees and from 1.15% to 1.10% for employers under Sec. 201(b)(1)(S) of the Social Security Act 42USC(7)II§401 and amend the OASI tax rate from 10.10% to 10.20%, from 5.05% to 5.10% for employees under 26USC(C)(21)(A)§3101 (a) and from 5.05% to 5.10% for employers under 26USC(C)(21)(A)§3111 (a) without increasing the overall 12.4% OASDI or 15.3% OASDI and Hospital Insurance (HI) tax-rate under 26USC(A)(2)§1401 to maximize efficiency until a deficit appears in the OASI Trust Fund in 2019.

Without Income Limit Law (WILL) Act

To abolish the maximum taxable limit on DI contributions on January 1, 2016 and OASI contributions January 1, 2017 and repeal Adjustment of the contribution and benefit base Section 230 of the Social Security Act 42USC(7)§430.

To require the Social Security Administration to pay for SSI Costs beginning January 1, 2017.

To share profits in excess of social security program costs to the general fund of the U.S Treasury on a sliding scale beginning year end 2016 DI 50/50 with the USPS, and OASI 10/90 to eliminate the federal budget deficit. In 2020 OASI would share at negotiated rates an estimated 25/75, by 2025 OASDI would share 50/50 and by 2030 OASDI would save to pay for the peak in costs of Baby Boomer generation in 2035 that might raise the overall OASDI tax rate from 12.4%.

To My Social Security I think God for you in and out the hardship from 2010 to 2015 the world kept changing and I became injured on the job I worked until I drop being played and lied to by company and lawyers a total of 28 month with no income worked in Baltimore for 44 years paid off because of Social Security Benefits and when I was laid on my back and couldn’t move I thought about programs like H A R P and U S A A if u use these programs with people 10 years before becoming the age of retirement in most cases this save them half of there income this means they could give $10 or &20 dollars back in to Social Security. that’s millions of dollars put back in to government and social security everybody wins .

I say to you, the ones who were denied many times, you prayed to me for help, did i not help you, are you full, have not you become stuffed with envy and greed, did i not give you enough to feed others…

I’m 40 years old and I’m disabled. I’m married and have 4 children. I hired an attorney to help win my case because we had to go to hearing. what I don’t understand is why does my attorney get part of my kids back pay ? I understand the attorney getting part of my back pay but why my children’s back pay ? the attorney didn’t have to go and apply for my children’s back pay. some change to that needs to change. thank you.

Good question Jamie. Social Security assumes than an attorney or an appointed representative will charge a fee when representing a claimant, unless the fee is waived. Under current law, when the Court issues a favorable decision, we withhold (up to) 25 percent of the claimant’s AND the claimant’s auxiliaries past-due benefits. The fee agreement you signed, also limits how much of a claimant’s past-due benefits an attorney can collect: No more than 25% of your past-due benefits and that includes any children in your account, but only up to a maximum of $6,000. We hope this information helps.

thank you for your response. I do understand the fee agreement that I signed. but like I said Law makers or SSDI needs to make a change about that. My attorney received $4848.00 off my back pay. then my attorney received $978 off my kids back pay. so then my attorney sends me a bill for $174 because he didn’t get the full $6000.00
I’m just saying a change needs to be done about attorneys being allowed to get any of the auxiliaries benefits or any of the children’s back benefits. ITS NOT RIGHT AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE IN THE LAW ABOUT THAT !

I’m going to be the mouth for the ones who cant speak.
They will continue to DETOUR me and your family our American rights untill we protest.
I say to you, the ones who were denied many times, you prayed to me for help, did i not help you, are you full, have not you become stuffed with envy and greed, did i not give you enough to feed others… – wont you share the light with others so that it may be shown?

Then do it yourself if you don’t want to pay someone for providing a service to you. You are allowed by law to represent yourself. Do you have a problem paying a mechanic to fix your car, or a roofer to replace your roof. Why do people have a difficult timing understanding that when someone provides a service they are performing a job for you and are entitled to be paid.

Samlam , If you know how to read ? I said i didn’t have a problem paying the attorney for the work he did for me to help me get my disability benefits. He did his service for me and got paid for doing his service for ” ME” but I was the one who had to go to the Social Security Office and with all of my children’s information to get there benefits. The Attorney didn’t do that.
So Samlam shut your mouth and keep your comments to yourself and learn to read and it’s obvious you never went thru the process of filing for disability or even BEING DISABLED FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE YOU!

I know a man who applied for disability in Ohio and was denied. He went to North Carolina and applied there because hos sister knew someone who worked at the social security office and got approved. Hisdisability was high blood pressure. Thats it. I know him and there is nothing wrong with him. This is so wrong

The only fair thing to do is to cut the program entirely. Ignore all the sob stories and do what must be done. The program has been destroyed from severe mismanagement. Jail birds, dopers, dead beats, illegal aliens and more who didn’t pay into the system are allowed to rob it by those administering it. Lawyers have to be hired—driving administrative costs through the roof. As for social security the retirement fund let people have individual accounts(that can’t be meddled with). Ban the politicians from touching it. Disability will go broke next year—let it. Don’t fund it. People in America made it without all these welfare programs and they’ll do so again. Some will die but dying is part of the natural rhythm of life just like giving birth. Its part of the life cycle. Let the welfare state die of its own weight. Its out of control and its swallowed the entire budget. Every recipient has a sob story. The weak will be weeded out. People in America made before disability and they’ll make it again. No more welfare for parasitic illegals. The patient is dead no more money. The govt. is broke, no more I.O.U’s to give out. The welfare state has bankrupted America. No more!

You are a total monster, and may you become sick through your own evilmindedness. You shall be shown no mercy at all come Judgement Day be ause you have no mercy for others, and are therefore a very bad person. You are also way too judgemental because you put everyone into one category, and life does not work that way. You sound just like a nazi. Are you?

So tired. Need to quit and get disability. Kicked outta military after 10 tears on physical. with 10%. Had to go under Voc Rehab to get a job. Now, Spinal Fusion(Four screws and two plates holding up my spinal column . L1 through L4 herniated. VA wants to put a prothesis in each knee. But im still working….so tired.

Good morning, I would like to see modifications to return to work initiatives. The current guidelines are far too restrictive. I know this topic is being debated by the US House Ways and Means Committee. I was in this system for 9 years, and was able to return to the workforce after extensive medical treatment, healing, and furthering my education. I consider myself to be very fortunate, and would like to see others get opportunities to move their lives forward without penalties. We need improved transition plans to employment so those who could return to work don’t get punished for trying.

I’ll have to admit, Fed Up, you don’t give up – at least in disparaging others who depend on SS benefits for their financial lifeline…

I am taking the liberty of pasting in an earlier comment to you, so the entire group will hopefully reflect on the sickness the nation has with people like yourself who are always complaining and do very little for others themselves. Here you are…
=============
How old are you, FedUp? You sound like someone who thinks (s)he’ll live forever. Get a grip.

At 67, I have lived on SS Retirement (not disability), which I have really needed since I was 63. At that point, I had already had 2 cancer surgeries for 2 separate cancers, at Houston’s MD Anderson. They both abruptly stopped my work and one of them nearly killed me at age 60 – all after 44 years working and contributing to the SS fund.

But I was lucky. I recovered from both by 62 and in 2010-11 I went on to Iraq on missions to help soldiers find the bad guys. Ever been to war, FedUp? I doubt it.

In any case, after returning at 63, I found out a had a bad ticker and was lucky to have not returned in a body bag somewhere in one of the 20 places I had to go, from the Syrian border to the Iranian border, and everywhere in-between.

FedUp, what I did helped SAVE soldiers’ lives, and what Social Security now does for me has saved MY life. I am very grateful to President Roosevelt for what he did, even though people like you want to scrap it all for some godawful private program.

FedUp, you definitely need to get out more and stop complaining about life and bureaucrats and people you don’t know. We all live on this planet, not just you. Like me, you will age, and you won’t live forever.

I have been trying to get disability for years and yet to do so. My body continues to deteriorate and I have little if any medical proof due to having no insurance to cover doctors and testing needed. I have been checked by their doctors, but their ex-rays do not reveal my diagnosis. I am in the appeal process at this time and would like to ask what I could do in this process to show how deabilitating my diseases have become and will continue on? Please help me if you can, Thank you!

Here’s a clue about why there are so many ‘disabled’ Americans:
With the obama economy & government corruption Many More people are going directly from Unemployment benefits into Disability benefits!
Why not – it’s Not the government’s money – it’s the Taxpayers’ money!
Meanwhile the SS fund will be empty before long (it has Not been kept separate).
And the National Debt is headed to 19 Trillion $19,000,000,000,000!!!

She should be able to receive SSI, and medi-cal if she is disabled with MS. Unfortunately, I know MS all too well, and it is quite a horrible disease. Your daughter will find out just how horrible it is, as it progresses, and it usually does. I have relapsing remitting ms, with various different symptoms, and problems each day. Just when I think I may experience some relief, another problem pops up. It is a very disgusting disease as well. I have just had it, and after reading that Nazi comment, I feel like grabbing that persons throat, and choking all the air out of her or him.I

So, if we never worked a day of out life we qualify for SSI and Medicaid, so why work then? My cousin never worked and she got a check for over $770 a month plus Medicaid when she was 65, but she died within two years.

My granddaughter has recently been diagnosed with MS. She is 26 years of age and was told that she was not eligible for SSD. My question is why if you have certain heath problems you are covered automatically (kidney) but yet not with MS?

She should be able to receive SSI, and medi-cal if she is disabled with MS. Unfortunately, I know MS all too well, and it is quite a horrible disease. Your daughter will find out just how horrible it is, as it progresses, and it usually does. I have relapsing remitting ms, with various different symptoms, and problems each day. Just when I think I may experience some relief, another problem pops up. It is a very disgusting disease as well. I have just had it, and after reading that Nazi comment, I feel like grabbing that persons throat, and choking all the air out of her or him.

It is very important to have clear information about disability in the US as this is a subject that many people have no idea about. Often the issue is confused and people believe that others are taking advantage of the system to get benefits. It is my belief that severely disabled people should continue to receive these valuable benefits. Disability can – and probably will, at some point – happen to all of us so it is important to keep this in mind.

I read some things at times. I don’t always understand comments, but I do understand the need to keep what little is giving to me from SSI. I’m 57 now, and was working hard as a divorced mother since the latter 80’s. Never collected child support or got any sort of assistance from the state. By early 2002 I had raised both my boys, who by the way graduated with honors, and bought my house with nothing but my hard earned credit and money. Then in 07 cancer hits me. Funny part was all my life I have had a mental disability and no one knew it. At the age of 37 I myself paid $1000 out of my own pocket for a test dealing with where my strongest skills lied. Come to find out I had always been sever ADHA. I wouldn’t let that stop me. Kept going. Now after surgery for cancer followed by 5 cycles of chemo, the horse was shot right out from under me. At first I tried to fight to keep going. To late. Lost job, then house, and my health, bodily and mentally took a dive. Family and friends were no place to be found. Kept trying to find places to stay and jobs. By 08 I was told I was done, ironically, by a OVR worker. So for the next 2 years, homeless, while I filed for disability. I made it, by Gods help only. I was even remarried for a year, but he died. Homeless again for a year, even with SSI. Now I sit in a trailer court just praying month to month I can make it. Credit is destroyed, can’t really go anywhere in car, it’s falling apart, and the help from the state besides my SSI minus insurance payments, is a whole 46 dollars in food stamps. I’ve read some of the disability blogs posted on the government site, and it tells me basically,
we’re stuck and at the mercy of both the government and the public. Like it has been wrote, this country wasn’t built with the mind set of people who were going to grow old and the ones who were either born disabled or become disabled. Now all that is left is to pray. What I believe now is we are just disposable, if we can no longer make money for the government. Think about that one.

It is pure evil, and Judgement Day is coming. Every living creature on this earth is being harmed by the evil ONES, and the Satanic powers that be. Even the beautiful talented soul, Michael Jackson, was disposed of by the wicked. May they all burn in HELL forever and ever. May Michael experience eternal life in the Kingdom of our Lord.

We must, first and foremost be clear on the responsibility that is ours, that being our personal medical file, we’re never explained this in the beginning, why you ask, stall tactics, nothing is more abusive to an individual than having to apply, and be told “denied ” it’s high priority understanding for all, the Maestro who was given the power, clearly graduated from the same ‘school of economics’ deliniate staff, that will slow things down, or force others too work 2.5 – 3 times harder for the same pay. So, ever wonder why folks are falling out? Making capital, is all good and well, but disrupting the human beings, that are creating this capital, isn’t too be just dump off the train while its moving. Give it some thought! Time to agree too get off your proverbial ass, and start the processis to invest the funds, not just rest on your laurels, and just let it be funded. Get it together people, and now would be the most opportune time.

My girlfriend almost died and don’t have hardly any use of her hands she loose balance and y’all continue to turn her down for disability I feel that the way that y’all do people that really need disability is so wrong my brother has had 4 surgeries and can barely walk and y’all have denied him! It’s not y’all money! Give it to the people who deserve it and quite given it to those who really can work you people will answer to God on judgement day!

god spoke to you. you will be one of my delivery angels to spead the word. I’m going to be the mouth for the ones who cant speak.
They will continue to DETOUR me and your family our American rights untill we protest.
I say to you, the ones who were denied many times, you prayed to me for help, did i not help you, are you full, have not you become stuffed with envy and greed, did i not give you enough to feed others…

My wife was diagnosed with Lupus and Fibromialga 2 1/2 years ago. She continued to work until a year ago when she was let go from her MEDICAL receptionist job for being to sick to often. Know she applied for ssdi because her condition has worsened. Most days she can’t get out of bed and of course DENIED. Now she has hired an attorney who tells us that it will be 18-24 months just for a hearing. Are you kidding me. What are we supposed to do in the mean time. We have 3 high school age kids who will be living in a shelter because the bank won,t wait to be paid. We both worked because we needed to too pay bills. How messed up is this. Now we have to try and put our home up for sale before the bank takes it from us. One more family out on the street. Oh yeah for those that may not be familiar with Lupus. Stress makes the illness worse so she has been feeling REAL well since she got the news from her attorney.

To go along with the rest that are frustrated …her 26 yo drug using niece got approved 1st try because of a mental disease… aka she is “crazy” but she is smart enough to know how to work the medical system when she goes from ER to ER and Drs. to get her pain pills filled.She went to jail for DWI and had 12 perscriptions of pain pills in the car yet still received her ssdi while in jail.
Great system we have here and can do absolutely nothing about it…

seems like i keep hearing the drug boys or girls( herion) or “crazy” keep getting approved 1st try. hmmmm sounds like pill doctors have their hands in this also. even if your arms dont exist anymore because of a crash u will GET denied. my uncle has no legs and got denied 3 times and just had to give up. but will we?
Jason heart attck age 33

The System is, and always has been, corrupt. Even in the Holy Bible you can see that it has been written. This evil System of things shall soon pass, but this does not help us in the here and now. We are suffering, and things will become so much worse before Jesus The Christ finally intervenes. Horrible atrocities being committed everywhere, against every living creature, and tribulation as this world has never seen before. There is no justice currently, but there will be one day. Godspeed!

I’ve worked very hard all my life, at times with two/three jobs at a time, to raise my children. I became hurt with a weight bearing area (ankle), and was DENIED? I don’t understand when I fit every last so called qualification for Social Security (2 arm crutches, boot, specific brace, 2 regular crutches, can no longer do what I did, and have difficulty doing daily household living,un-focused, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, stiffening/locking/catching/burning/PAIN in the ankle, torn cartilage, bone on bone, Osteoarthritis, Osteochondral Defect, cystic growth-collapsing bones, Achilles Tendonitis). I’m so torn with having no income having to endure YET, another surgery(possibly two) if fusion fails, which I’m high risk for non-union, with a end result of losing my foot? Four Failed surgeries thus far. Yet, Denied! My process started 2007 and have been through so much for almost 9 years, to pretty much beg for something I paid for, and was told no. This is extremely hard to deal with. How? How can someone not understand? A judge is exactly just that…A JUDGE! And I really believe they can’t “JUDGE” very well. All because they went on a “YES” spree and are now being watched, I have to suffer because of their lack of responsibility? Unfair! I wished I could trade places so that you feel my pain, it’s debilitating. If they felt what I felt I bet it would be a different story, but how do you describe to a “judge” how much you go through when in fact they’ve NEVER experienced this stuff themselves. Two people, same condition, one gets a yes and the other a no? It was hard enough to go through and still go through the surgery process, with constant fail, be out of work and no income, and then have to ask for help and be turned away. SAD! I

WE FUCKING FIGHT AND THEY ARE GOING TO PRAISE ME OR KILL ME FOR THIS JUST LIKE MLK. GOD HAS SHOWN HIS GOOD GRACE AND KEPT ME FOR THIS STAGE AND TO BE ON THE FRONT PAGE YOU NEED WHAT? DRAMA…SO WE MARCH. WE GOT DAM MARCH AND WE PROTEST, WE GET BEAT UP, WE WIN, WE LOOSE, WE RISE BUT WE SHALL OVERCOME.
I AM NOT AFRAID TO BE PROSECUTED AND SLAIN AND KILLED FOR THIS BECAUSE MY KING WILL LIFT ME TO THE HIGHEST. PLEASE FILE A COMPLAINT WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TALLAHASSEE FL, I DID!! AND MENTION JASON FIELDS. THEN SHE WILL KNOW SOMETHINGS UP HERE. I ASK YOU TO FILE ALL THIS WEEK.
THINK IM LYING?

Chronic pain 11 surgeries including knee replacement tendon release in shoulder recent SI joint fusion on back 3 additional bulging discs an ankle that only needs one more good sprain to tear the ligament and only 45 . Not to mention diabetic and and the burning stabbing pain from diabetic neuropathy working 3 jobs to survive and no insurance and only 45 yrs old who refuses to even try for SSDI for fear of being denied and living on nothing for the rest of my life or losing what financial means I do have !!! So to all those who are receiving benefits that really deserve them !!! Good for you , for all those who are receiving benefits , you all know who you are and don’t need them !!! Shame on you.

there was a lady named celina ham here who’s sons heart was double the normal size and could not receive disability. He was a vet coming home i think and was told by the Disability board that he could do a desk job. After failing to land a desk job he decided to do only what he knew like any human did and went back to roustabout. HE DIED. Will that also happen to me when my stink becomes blocked or works improperly while im back digging ditches, because my conditions dont fall under there mutherfucking guldlines. I say this to you and any ssi worker who types some robot answer to this. I WILL BE THE MLK OF THIS. NOT A star but a face to uncover the secert they are hlding from us. PLEASE SHARE AND WATCH THIS. i am not here to promote anything but the truth and you will know the light.
. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvZH88R9Qs0

Hi I am Sandy, My question. I was awarded ssdi as of March 26 2015. But ssi paid me some money way below what is owed to me for ssdi. ssi only paid me like 488.month.Way lower than the 831.00 for all the months the judge granted. So where does that leave me with my back pay I am ready getting my ssdi started 7/1/2016. Do ssi have to pay ssdi the money difference I get the run a round. Please I hope you can give me the answers I need, Thank you

Hi Sandra. Unfortunately, your questions is a bit more complex than we can handle in this forum. For your security, we do not have access to information about your account in this venue. Please continue working with your local office on specific information about your case. Thanks!

iam 21 years old currently living with my mom and dad and im disabled with a heart condition and digeorge syndrome and i have had heart surgeries in the past along with a spine surgery this year which is what is causing me not able to work now i can not even drive. they are only paying me 400$ a month for food and other things but each shopping trip takes like half of that. i can not live off of this. i wanted to see why iam not getting more i mean i am GREATFUL! to recieve it at my age but i can not work its driving me nuts not able to have money to do things i wanna do. i had surgery on my spine it was pretty major i have a collapsed long as well. it makes it hard to pay payments on medical bills and to pay off my temperpedic bed. i wanted to ask why this is that i dont get more then what i get. im also dealing with spine pain this is everyday i hurt so bad from this surgery im 9 months of recovery im still in tons of pain which is hard to do daily acitivities if you have any suggestions on what i can do to ask them why its such a low ammount on what my story is now i dont understand mom and i are going to call our ssi case and have them re evaluate it because it doesnt feel right to me, well i wish every one a good day im never gonna live on my own unless they up the payment this is my ultamite goal ~

Thank you for your post! This tutorial is fabulous! Lots of great info including, Disability Insurance provides security for individuals if you are unable to work because of sickness or accidents. Preparing for a disability means that you you have to buy disability insurance to protect the loss of income.

I find it interesting that the majority of comments are people whining about others they feel are undeserving of benefits.

When my application was denied, I fought for my benefits. My lawyers told me my medical files were the largest they had ever seen for someone who wasn’t a veteran (because the VA documentation is massive), because I had been so busy for several years caring for my dying mother, I hadn’t really gone to the doctor for my own deteriorating health during the 2+ years of her illness.

What other people did, or didn’t, get was never my concern. My concern was just getting the government to see my health the same way my doctors did. The SSA isn’t lying when they say their standards are strict. I have a background in both legal research and health insurance regulation, so I read their laws for myself. The threshold for receiving benefits is crazy hard. Those people who are commenting on other people’s lack of health problems, I wonder if you all know exactly what those people are battling? Because you all kind of sound like the people who judge who isn’t worthy of a disabled parking designation, just by looking at someone. Most people have problems they don’t advertise. One of my medical conditions is chronic pain, which is invisible to everyone, including myself, but it’s absolutely miserable. And it’s not even one of my disabling conditions!

But my point is this: ever hear of the Serenity Prayer? “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” If all you’re doing is worrying about what other people have, when do you have the time or energy to fight for yourself? If you believe someone you know is cheating the system, have the guts to report them! If you can’t change the situation, then move on to something you *can* change. My first lawyer messed up my SSDI filing, and by the time I caught their mistake, all my work credits were gone. All my years of working 2 or 3 jobs at the same time meant nothing, I had to file for SSI, which is well below poverty level. If it wasn’t for inheriting a small house, worth all of $7,000 – no kidding – from my mom, the house her parents bought in 1941 when they got married, I don’t know how I’d put a roof over my head; and for still having my dad, who, at 75, still works on my 13 year old vehicle and my 96 year old house, I would not still be alive. I count my blessings, and that keeps me too busy to care what others have, or don’t. It just doesn’t affect me. Losing my sister, that affected me. Whoever else has their own reasons for receiving SSI, doesn’t affect me. And it doesn’t affect most, if not all, of the rest of you, either. I’ve corresponded with a former Reagan and Bush financial advisor, and he’s assured me that what we’re told in the media about Social Security being in jeopardy is either bunk, or misleading. And I’m not even a Republican, I just respect his knowledge. At least we have Social Security – before it was enacted, people either had to work til they died, live with adult children in their old age, or rely on a church for welfare. I am a historian, I’ve studied that. Count your blessings, don’t worry about things over which you have no control.

I have the same issue going on. I was denied disability because I am not disabled enough to be prevented from working an office job. I have been a truck driver most of my life and that is all I know how to do. I can’t get an office job. I now have to go back to work as a truck driver in severe pain. I had to lie to the companies hiring me, because you can’t drive trucks while on narcotic pain medication. I hope I never get into an accident because I am in pain and it is hard to concentrate. There are people who have anxiety and get benefits for that. I have severe pain and blood clots and got turned down. The system it too strict.

The problem is that a lot of weak cases that cannot pass based on the medical evidence/documentation alone are granted during the hearing process. Also, a lot of meritorious cases with mountains of medical documentation are denied by biased judges who refuse to recognize legitimate cases.

So, in my particular area of the country. One judge grants 70 percent of all cases that come before him, while another judge barely awards disability to 36 percent of the cases that come before him. It’s the judges who grant most of these cases, and they can grant benefits to whoever they want to, because they have no supervisors to answer to.

That is how someone with a bogus mental health claim can get benefits, while another person with terminal cancer will die before they even see their benefits. The judges never follow the rules. They can work around the rules to either deny or approve a claim.

I knew I was going to be denied from the first second I saw the judge who ruled over my case. He was very adversarial with me and basically treated me like a lying scum bag. But, if I would have gotten a different judge, I would have been awarded my benefits.

It’s all a lottery. You win by luck. That is how it is. That is why if I ever go back to work again, I will never pay a dime into the system ever again. It’s a waste of money.

On cases where the SSA’s consultative examiner sides against your doctor that you are not disabled, the judge cites the CE’s report as the reason why you’re case be being denied. Their own CE said that I was disabled and could no longer work, but the judge said that he did not add any weight to the CE’s report, because the CE had only seen me one time.

Judges can say that your doctor is not credible when they say you’re disabled. They can say that your doctor only wrote down what you wanted them to write down. So, even if you have a perfectly documented case, the judge can still deny your claim if they are bias.

You really can’t win unless you get lucky, or you get a lenient judge. Some judge will not grand cases to people who are under 40 years of age no matter how strong your case is. Why do younger people have to fight harder to win a case?

Social security and disability benefits need to get a dramatic increase, not a decrease! I don’t understand how this government expects my mom to live off of $750.00 a month?!?! She would try to get a job but she can’t stand for long period of times due to the steel plates in her legs, and most places wont hire her because she is getting older. She has applied for low income housing but has been on a waiting list that is for another two plus years! There needs to be something done for people who get next to nothing in disability and social security benefits.

The program is broken. I have a severe disorder called Central Pain Syndrome. It is fairly rare and an Intractable illness. There are no known cures and what treatments there are are extremely limited. This neurological disorder causes extreme pain throughout my body every second of every day and will continue until I die. It has negatively impacted my cardio vascular system as well so now I risk stroke. I’m only 40 years old. I have been denied twice now and will be going to hearing, but it is supposed to be 18 months away. This program is a joke. I was a police officer at one time and dealt with all kinds of people on ssdi who are not in the same galaxy as to level of impairment compared to me. In my pain support group, where many are on SSDI, I’m by far the sickest one. Yet, I cannot get a human being to take or SSDI Doc to take the 20 minutes to learn what my condition entails. The burning sensation makes it feel like a real hell on earth. For those like myself who have our full body impacted, it is near universally disabling. I read the website and one of the “meet those with disabilities” and the raw raw we are here for you, has CRPS in an arm. I’d take that any day and twice o Sunday. Those symptoms are just one of dozens I get. Please explain to me how any of this makes sense? The case workers will not give me a reason why I’m denied, nor is it stated in my denial letter. The closest thing I’ve had is being told “regulations” ad it’s to bad you have something rare. For the love of god, get it together so someone else doing everything they can just to stay alive, doesn’t have to deal with this lunacy!

I’m sorry to hear that you are suffering, but I just wanted to know how you can think your pain is just so much worse than others. I have suffered with RSD and Fibromyalgia for over 20 years.
If you’ve ever saw the McGill pain chart, RSD is at the very top. Unless you have it, there is no way you can say you’re worse than anyone else. That’s just insane.
I hope you have found some relief.

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Hi I know a person working under the table and gets paid while he has been collecting ssd and the person paying him knows he collects she calls him her handy man and pays him cash and writes a check to his girlfriend linda. Rick coons receives money while collecting (ssd) from Mary vanderbosch her address is 12680 cottage rd south Dayton ny 14138 I have witnessed him working doing construction work on roofs also using saws lumber climbing trees and he’s said he’s on disability please don’t tell.. we’ll im telling on them cause Mary is a slumlord and hasnt fixed a thing in this apt at 395 west main st apt a arcade ny. Look into this matter please and thank you.. people that are truly disabled need help Rick coons is not disabled he lied to you and Mary vanderbosch pays him a lot of money under the table and I have witnessed it and have witnesses thank you

Social Security disability is a god-forsaken joke which I had waited four and a half years to be able to receive the disability benefit that I paid into for at least 40 years and I hardly get anything a month and I have had to fight for my back pay because they kept getting my onset date wrong and I finally had to accept 9 months worth of back pay when I should have received two and a half years back pay I worked and paid into this system when I could have paid into an IRA and had my own retirement system and had taken that money when I deemed fit that I needed it they need to revamp this disability s*** cuz I am damn sick of it I went through holy hell and lost everything I had fighting for nearly six years to be able to get this benefit that I paid into for many years and that’s what I think of it

Hi Ennio. For your security, we do not have access to information about your account in this venue. To report a late or missing payment, contact us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Your bank may also be able to tell you why a deposit failed. Thanks.

My husband has dementia and he is 70 years old. He has been on Social Security since he was 62. He now needs 24 seven care so I need to quit work and my last day is next Friday and we will have no money except for that! And we have a lot more meals and will be making so I need help please

Dear Mr. Walker,
My Daughter has been diagnosed with Chron’s Disease and intestinal dismobility. Although she is almost 40 she has been qualified for disability after more than a year of struggles via the qualifying process. She is severely, desperately underweight. However her files have been pulled for audit and on hold until March. Realistically, she will not survive that long. Please, Sir… help me to discover who would be able to help with this last glitch before it’s too late.

Julianne, we are sorry to hear of your daughter’s medical complications. If we are conducting a medical review of your daughter’s disability claim, we just want to let you know that the law requires Social Security to conduct disability reviews periodically to make sure the individuals receiving disability benefits are still eligible to get them.Unfortunately, but for security reasons, we do not have access to personal records in this blog. Considering the circumstances, you’ve shared, you and your daughter need to continue working with the local office. You can request to speak with the office manager if necessary, to see how we can help to expedite resolution of the situation. If you are unable to visit the local office, you can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 and speak to one of our agents. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later in the week. Thanks.

My worth less name is Leon Spearry Medicare number mebk6tpn I have bad disc in neck number 4567 all are I have come to the conclusion etna and Medicare do not care and all we are is a number really sad throwing people that have worked their hole life for nothing I am tired and given up it is what it is.

My daughters sons father just had a head on collision & was pronounced dead on scene.. is there any way the baby can get survival benefits if the Dad is not on the biirth citiricut & baby don’t have last name as son?

We are very sorry to hear of your loss, Shawna. See “Information You Need To Apply for Child’s Benefits“. You cannot report a death or apply for survivors benefits online. However, we should be notified as soon as possible when a person dies. Visit our Benefits Planner for Survivors, for more information.
Your daughter can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 and speak to one of our agents for further guidance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. She may experience a shorter wait time if she calls later during the day or later in the week. Or she can contact her local Social Security office directly. Thanks.

Thank you for your question Dee. Social Security strongly supports those individuals who want to return to the work force while supplementing their disability benefit income. We have Work Incentives that allow people to work and still receive their benefits. A person may still be eligible for disability benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance program if they work. However, their earnings cannot exceed a certain amount. This is called the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit. In 2018, the SGA limit is $1180 per month (or $1,970 for blind individuals).
In addition to the amount of money you make, Social Security may also look at the number of hours you’re able to work. Read our publication “Working WhileDisabled: How We Can Help” for more information. Thanks!

This is all good and dandy propaganda. SSA barely allows a person to live without basic needs with their rules. In fact if a SSI recipient receives some help in making shortfalls in living expenses that the SSA wont step up to, they reduce his payments for the help he received in making ends meet.

My money controlled by self serving congress who inturn uses this fund as their private piggy bank and leaving starving needy recipients on the street.

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We are sorry for your loss, Mary. Please keep in mind, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program is a needs-based program that pays benefits to qualified individuals who have limited income and resources. We have strict guidelines that apply to individuals receiving benefits under the SSI program.
We conduct “redeterminations” periodically to identify SSI recipients who –at any time- are potentially eligible for any or other Social Security benefits on their own record and the records of others. This includes benefits as a widow’s or surviving divorced spouse. Some individuals may still be eligible to receive both benefits, if they have low income and limited resources.
If an SSI recipient qualifies for additional benefits, he or she is required to apply for those benefits as soon as they’re eligible. Failure to apply for additional benefits will result in suspension or termination of their SSI benefits.
Please call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for further assistance. Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later during the day or later in the week. Thanks!

What amount is January going to show us. I thought that Obama was going to help us. I have never been so scared up by other prev. I hopped up in my life. But, as President Trump has told Everyone truth. THANK YOU VERY MUCH’ , AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS. I HAVE BEEN A DEMOCRAT EVER SINCE MY HUSBANDS COUSIN FIRST WAS ELEECTED. THANKS

My name is Kennon Towers Mecham and I have breast cancer and want to apply for SSDI. Do I have enough work history to qualify for this program? My social security number is *** – ** – *** and my address is Wilsonville Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070. My mother’s maiden name is Kathy and I was born in Oregon. Thanks.

Hello Kennon. When it comes to qualifying for disability benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI program, individuals must have worked long enough–and recently enough–under Social Security to qualify for disability benefits.
Generally, you need 40 credits, 20 of which you have to earn within the last 10 years before you become disabled.
You can get your personal Social Security Statement online by creating your personal my Social Security account. Your online Statement gives you secure and convenient access to your earnings records.
If you have specific questions about your situation, please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and ask one of our representatives to assist you. Thanks!

MY SONS ADHA IS ONE MAJOR ISSUE DO TO HIS DIRUPTIVE BEHAVOR IN SCHOOL AS WELL AS AT HOME HES BEEN SUSSPENED 15 TIMES PLUS LAST YEAR WITCH HAD INTERFERD WITH MY ABILTY TO STAY WORKING ALSO I HAD JUST GOTTEN CUSTUDY BAC FROM BEING ABSENT 4YRS OF HIS LIFE SO DO TO EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS WITH HAVING ADHA CAN I RECIVE SSDI?

received email after knowing ive applied for multiple loans and was told by you guys that my ssi well i was eligible for 1700 a month instead of 770 bc i cant make. it and my health is decling quickly and i stress all the time bc of finances.please help.i only have very old medical bills that make my credit poor but live n cant get out of my overdraft at bank.pleaase help me

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